ClueBy
TodayArchiveWord list

Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
YesNo
↻ New worksheet

Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  2. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  3. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  4. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  5. My father caught me by the ________________.
  6. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  7. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  10. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  11. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  12. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  13. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  14. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  15. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  16. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  17. I'll be taking the ________________.
  18. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  21. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. patient — calm and waiting
  2. chip — to eat
  3. wound — an injury
  4. chip — for betting
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. tube — in a tire
  7. root — the cause
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. arm — a part of something
  10. root — of a plant
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. wound — an injury
  13. root — of a word
  14. wound — past of 'wind'
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. tube — the underground
  18. tube — a container
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. chip — in a computer
  21. calf — of the leg
  22. firm — a company
  23. firm — steady
  24. firm — decided

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com